and she smiled faintly. Kei
moved over beside her and she curled up on the ground facing him, as always. She
heard Prince get up and walk into the woods. A short while later he returned
and settled down behind her. She held in a sigh. He'd hardly said a word all
night. She wondered how angry he was with her.
Everyone settled down quickly. Not surprising, they were
all exhausted. Her twisted ankle throbbed with a low annoying burn.
She closed her eyes...and saw Cain, surrounded by
darkness, the arrow sticking through his chest. Blood spurted everywhere.
Gasping, her heart suddenly racing, she opened her eyes quickly.
Squeezing her eyes closed, she tried to fight the
tears. Cain appeared again and she opened them quickly once more.
Kei shifted closer to her and she instinctively
reached out her hands. He took them both in his, holding them between his own.
A tearful shudder passed through her and she fought the sobs wanting to escape.
A small whimper made it past her lips and she cringed.
Kei
gently removed one of his hands and a moment later his fingers touched her
face, brushing tears from her cheeks.
"Shh..." he whispered. "I'm here."
She nodded, holding in more sobs. Kei was always
there, always helping her. She heard him shift again, moving closer.
Suddenly she felt a cool hand slip around her bare
waist. Strong fingers curled around her, pulling her back, away from Kei. Her
mouth opened in surprise. Not that Prince would try to keep her from Kei, the
two very rarely got along, and never had. It was some stupid Fey and Elf thing,
and also a soldier and nobility thing, and who knew what else.
Her surprise came because she had thought him angry
with her. He hadn't spoken to her all night. He hadn't immediately rested a
hand at her waist when they went to sleep like he usually did.
Kei growled softly as Prince pulled her away. However
he didn't try to hold her and the growling was nothing new either.
"Go to sleep, Kei," Prince whispered
harshly.
Kei seemed as shocked as her at his words and tone. Shocked
enough he actually let go of her other hand, which he never did. Prince pulled
again, until her body curled up against him. She stiffened, unsure what exactly
was going on. Was he angry with her or not?
I am not.
She frowned and tried to turn over to face him but he
held her in place. "But–"
Use your mind, Arowyn.
She had the urge to snarl herself suddenly. Fine.
La la la la...
You are–
Do not call me a child again . She remained stiff in his arms, watching Kei across
from her. The Fey stared at her, obviously unhappy. She didn't like him unhappy
so made a funny face until he smiled and shook his head a little.
There are things we must discuss.
Prince's words frightened her, though she kept such
thoughts locked away from him. Such as?
First of all, you are giving me a headache.
She stiffened. What are you talking about?
The way we speak, and the way the pack does, are two
very different things. You needn’t use both, only one. Both at once creates…an
echo. It is rather disturbing to listen to.
What he said made sense. She took a moment to
distinguish the two ways of speaking in her mind. Once she had them clearly
sorted out, she left the Were mind speech alone and just spoke to him as they
had always done before. Is this better?
Much, I thank you.
Was that it? Can I go to sleep now?
No. We must speak of what happened. He paused. Arowyn, I understand why you did what
you did. I don't understand how exactly you did it, however I've learned you
always seem to do the impossible. You are such a troublesome... he paused a moment ...girl.
So you tell me. You are rather a pain yourself.
You do point that out quite often.
Because you are. She grimaced, not wanting to fight. I'm going to get you home. We
are, she amended. So stop trying to die all the time.
Arowyn, even given the power you granted me with what
you did, I do not believe I will make it home. Do you understand?
She gritted her teeth
moved over beside her and she curled up on the ground facing him, as always. She
heard Prince get up and walk into the woods. A short while later he returned
and settled down behind her. She held in a sigh. He'd hardly said a word all
night. She wondered how angry he was with her.
Everyone settled down quickly. Not surprising, they were
all exhausted. Her twisted ankle throbbed with a low annoying burn.
She closed her eyes...and saw Cain, surrounded by
darkness, the arrow sticking through his chest. Blood spurted everywhere.
Gasping, her heart suddenly racing, she opened her eyes quickly.
Squeezing her eyes closed, she tried to fight the
tears. Cain appeared again and she opened them quickly once more.
Kei shifted closer to her and she instinctively
reached out her hands. He took them both in his, holding them between his own.
A tearful shudder passed through her and she fought the sobs wanting to escape.
A small whimper made it past her lips and she cringed.
Kei
gently removed one of his hands and a moment later his fingers touched her
face, brushing tears from her cheeks.
"Shh..." he whispered. "I'm here."
She nodded, holding in more sobs. Kei was always
there, always helping her. She heard him shift again, moving closer.
Suddenly she felt a cool hand slip around her bare
waist. Strong fingers curled around her, pulling her back, away from Kei. Her
mouth opened in surprise. Not that Prince would try to keep her from Kei, the
two very rarely got along, and never had. It was some stupid Fey and Elf thing,
and also a soldier and nobility thing, and who knew what else.
Her surprise came because she had thought him angry
with her. He hadn't spoken to her all night. He hadn't immediately rested a
hand at her waist when they went to sleep like he usually did.
Kei growled softly as Prince pulled her away. However
he didn't try to hold her and the growling was nothing new either.
"Go to sleep, Kei," Prince whispered
harshly.
Kei seemed as shocked as her at his words and tone. Shocked
enough he actually let go of her other hand, which he never did. Prince pulled
again, until her body curled up against him. She stiffened, unsure what exactly
was going on. Was he angry with her or not?
I am not.
She frowned and tried to turn over to face him but he
held her in place. "But–"
Use your mind, Arowyn.
She had the urge to snarl herself suddenly. Fine.
La la la la...
You are–
Do not call me a child again . She remained stiff in his arms, watching Kei across
from her. The Fey stared at her, obviously unhappy. She didn't like him unhappy
so made a funny face until he smiled and shook his head a little.
There are things we must discuss.
Prince's words frightened her, though she kept such
thoughts locked away from him. Such as?
First of all, you are giving me a headache.
She stiffened. What are you talking about?
The way we speak, and the way the pack does, are two
very different things. You needn’t use both, only one. Both at once creates…an
echo. It is rather disturbing to listen to.
What he said made sense. She took a moment to
distinguish the two ways of speaking in her mind. Once she had them clearly
sorted out, she left the Were mind speech alone and just spoke to him as they
had always done before. Is this better?
Much, I thank you.
Was that it? Can I go to sleep now?
No. We must speak of what happened. He paused. Arowyn, I understand why you did what
you did. I don't understand how exactly you did it, however I've learned you
always seem to do the impossible. You are such a troublesome... he paused a moment ...girl.
So you tell me. You are rather a pain yourself.
You do point that out quite often.
Because you are. She grimaced, not wanting to fight. I'm going to get you home. We
are, she amended. So stop trying to die all the time.
Arowyn, even given the power you granted me with what
you did, I do not believe I will make it home. Do you understand?
She gritted her teeth
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